August 22, 2012

154/554)  Brasserie Berthilda Vandoren, St-Pierre-de-L'Isle-D'Orleans, Quebec:  Boswell by Brasserie Berthilda of Quebec:  **1/2;  strong (7%) brown abbey ale with a winey nose;  tart with notes of raisin, white wine;  I wish I had tried more of their offerings;

155/555)  Pub Le Matin, Sainte-Famille, Isle D'Orleans, Quebec:  (Joseph) Bellarmin by Microbrasserie de L'Ile D'Orleans:  **;  an 8.5% double IPA;  nose is earthy hop notes against a background of sweet maltiness;  biscuity with dry bitter hop notes;  this was served in a bottle;

156/556) Les Fromages De L'Ile D'Orleans, Quebec:  Biere d'Épinette by Les Fromages de L'Ile D'Orleans:  *1/2;  alcohol free, brewed from spruce as was, possibly, the first beer brewed in New France;  smells like Vicks;  candy like sweetness;  you want pine notes? -  the finish here is pine needles with a vengeance;

It is absurdly easy to over-look Isle D'Orleans but it is a must visit for cheese, chocolate, cassis, beer and wine.  One lingering effect of this trip is that I can no longer tolerate ordinary cheddar cheese.  What's more, the scenery is tough to beat.

This is the Palette du Peintre at Brasserie Berthilda Vandoren, which I would have ordered had I been thinking properly: